Obama Responds to Black Teen’s Christmas Wish: “I Just Wanna Be Safe”

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

A black teen’s letter to Santa Claus got the response he least expected. In the letter, 13-year-old Malik Bryant asked Santa for the one thing money can’t buy: “All I ask for is for safety. I just wanna be safe,” he wrote.

Malik didn’t expect to receive an answer — much less a reply from the President of the United States.

“I’m like OMG! It’s a letter from Obama, from the president,” 13-year-old Malik Bryant said Sunday, as he proudly held up the signed letter for a reporter.

According to a report in the Chicago Sun Times, Malik was one of 8,500 children who wrote letters to Santa Claus as part of the annual Christmas wish program run by a Chicago nonprofit, DirectEffect Charities.

“When I pulled this one letter from a seventh-grade class at an Englewood elementary school, I couldn’t stop reading it,” said Michelle DiGiacomo, CEO of DirectEffect. “All this kid was asking for was safety. I was floored.”

DiGiacomo said she showed the letter to one of Malik’s teachers. “I didn’t know what to do with it. Malik’s teacher suggested we get him winter wear and some school supplies. So I sent off his letter to one of our Santas,” she said.

But DiGiacomo wanted to do more. “I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

She reached out to her congressman, U.S. Rep. Michael Quigley. Quigley, who forwarded Malik’s letter to the White House, where it landed on President Obama’s desk in the Oval office.

DiGiacomo also reached out to Malik’s mother to see if he wanted anything special for Christmas.

Malik’s mom said it had to be something Malik could entertain himself with indoors.

Malik, his mother and 2 sisters live on Chicago’s gang-infested South Side, where children routinely walk past dead bodies on their way to school.

“Malik doesn’t really go outside,” she explained to a reporter. “He has to hear from me all the time telling him he can’t stay out too long because it’s too dangerous,” his 35-year-old mother, who asked not to be identified, told the Sun-Times.

“Sometimes he wants to go over to my sister’s house nearby, to hang out with his cousins, but he can’t because he has to cross gang lines and walk past all these gang members on some of those blocks. And all he ever hears on the news about our neighborhood is shootings, gangs and violence. Malik knows he’s not safe,” she said.

Through DiGiacomo’s outreach efforts, Malik received a new computer and Wii game for Christmas. But there was one more surprise in Santa’s sack.

On Saturday evening a certified letter arrived from the White House. It was a signed letter from the president.

“I want to offer you a few words of encouragement,” Mr. Obama wrote Malik.

“Each day, I strive to ensure communities like yours are safe places to dream, discover, and grow. Please know your security is a priority for me in everything I do as President. If you dare to be bold and creative, work hard every day, and care for others, I’m confident you can achieve anything you imagine . . . and I will be rooting for you.”

Malik’s mom shared her son’s excitement. “I’m just overwhelmed,” she said. “I still can’t believe it. How fantastic that out of all the problems he has in the world, the president took the time out to write a letter concerning about my son. I mean wow, what a Christmas.”

But then reality set in.

“I know the president’s letter isn’t going to like solve the safety reasons out here, and it’s still going to be dangerous, but I’m excited the president of the United States wrote to me, and I can’t wait to show it off,” he said.

“I know the president’s letter isn’t going to like solve the safety reasons out here, and it’s still going to be dangerous, but I’m excited the president of the United States wrote to me, and I can’t wait to show it off,” he said.
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:clap: he’ll cherish this for the rest of his life :yes: life-changing!

Nah man, I’ll probably have a step child once me and the beau decide to take that step but no malice whatsoever will be done to her. At all. She is apart of him so for me to hurt her is me hurting him. If I couldn’t deal with a kid, I wouldn’t give him the time a day. I guess it helps she’s 16 now so its more so do your own thing but i’ll help if you need it. She has a mother, no need to substitute :shrugs:

by Gigi26 on Dec 31, 2014 at 11:02 am

See this is what makes me nervous. I’m only 32 and you rolling up with a 10+ year old who already has a personality and can jump fly because I’m not they momma or they still want their parents together no matter how much they hate each other. :no:

Time to Waste

O just changed his life!
I :pray: in 10 years, 23 year old Malik is ALIVE, and doing something positive.

Awww that’s nice but his writing skills for a 7th grader are piss fukking poor. Damn what the and how the fukk are they teaching these kids?!

:no:

by Gigi26
_______________________

My initial thoughts but I had to let it slide. Inner-city schools have terrible teachers even though the teachers get paid more

TaylorMade

Did anyone else have a hard time reading? 😐

Gigi26

Taylor:

The thing that makes me okay with her is that she was raised well and with respect. She is very respectful and her father doesn’t play that shyt at all. :yes: She’s a good kid and trust me, I know sneaky ass mofo’s, she’s one of the good ones :yes: Just lazy at times.

Her mom has been remarried for awhile so she’s over that I want them together. They were divorced when she was 2 so…she had more than enough time 😆

SummerBaby

See this is what makes me nervous. I’m only 32 and you rolling up with a 10+ year old who already has a personality and can jump fly because I’m not they momma or they still want their parents together no matter how much they hate each other.
————————-
My brother is 34 with a 19 yr old son 😆

Yardgirl

I sit here and pray for Malik, the males in my family and all other males! Amen! :pray:

SOTHERNGRL

@Man I’m gonna regret the hell out of this I already know; but sir I have to give it to your Momma you are quite the handsome lil chap.

Trendsetter

Hello Roses…

He writes like he talks which isnt good…however, I’m glad that his letter was able to reach and touch many people including the POTUS…

Gigi26

I mean he said he Black, African American. I :blink: and kept going like alright sonny boy…its the meaning behind the letter not the letter itself :yes:

But Jesus be a concerning teacher for these kids cuz they are keeping them in that vacuum of failure and lower pay :no:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqjT_YqmNas Long Time Lurker

Gigi26 says:

Awww that’s nice but his writing skills for a 7th grader are piss fukking poor. Damn what the and how the fukk are they teaching these kids?!
___________________________

See I wanted to stay positive, but thanks for saying what I was thinking, cause DAMN!!! This is reminiscent of my 8 year olds letter to Santa.

I hate that the media is gonna take this as an opportunity to make fun of poor black kids :facepalm: and as an opportunity to point out the President’s racial bias. I’m over it. I wish they would have never put this on the news.

TaylorMade

:chase: (me running from the kid(s)) :rofl:

Vanna is the root of all evil

So whats yall new years resolutions? mo sex? start a biz? be nice? what?? :popcorn: i want mo turn up in the bedrm :buttshake:

Gigi26

Lurker: I mean i’m still positive but OMG that shyt had me :no: Thank GOD for my folks who made me do book reports at home :no:

I also pray for this young man’s safety.
(Oh, and… it’s still early, but i already hate Gigi for the day :sigh: )

Hair Lova Formerly Known As Dark Ceaser

Gigi26 says:

Awww that’s nice but his writing skills for a 7th grader are piss fukking poor. Damn what the and how the fukk are they teaching these kids?!
___________________________
Glad I didn’t have to say it. In any event this is a hit damn shame that kids are asking Santa for freakin safety. This is the last thing they should have to worry about!!

SummerBaby

So whats yall new years resolutions? mo sex? start a biz? be nice? what?? i want mo turn up in the bedrm
—————–
I don’t make resolutions, but I do plan on focusing more on myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkcCHR-7FNA Man, I just don’t care™

@SOUTHERN
@Man I’m gonna regret the hell out of this I already know; but sir I have to give it to your Momma you are quite the handsome lil chap.
_______________

:kiss:
I’m humble and chit but I know babe… I know.
:coffee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2SQh007k6U missyJ

@Vanna

Stop procrastinating

Quit being sentimental over folks that are no good for me and cut them off

Gigi26

In any event this is a hit damn shame that kids are asking Santa for freakin safety.
——————
:yes: It is.

I hate that the media is gonna take this as an opportunity to make fun of poor black kids and as an opportunity to point out the President’s racial bias
_________________________________

aww, be encouraged Blanche :hug:
anyway, fugg the media if they actually stoop to ridicule a child. their arses didn’t ridicule slack jawed, cousin fuggin, knuckle draggin, beady-eyed yt trash parents when they didn’t want the POTUS to address their lice-infested spawns at their school :shrug: fugg ’em! 😡

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2SQh007k6U missyJ

Somebody save me or better yet save my boss…. She is sooooo close to getting :cuss: tha fukk out. Like I will be real ignant and rip her ridiculous lace front wig off

Gigi26

I don’t have resolutions but I will continue to focus on self. Once you focus on yourself, then you can help others.

Oh and to take life one day at a time. Only way to kill my anxiety :yes:

Hair Lova Formerly Known As Dark Ceaser

@SOUTHERN
@Man I’m gonna regret the hell out of this I already know; but sir I have to give it to your Momma you are quite the handsome lil chap.
_______________

:kiss:
I’m humble and chit but I know babe… I know.
:coffee:

by Man, I just don’t care™ on Dec 31, 2014 at 11:24 am
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Lol @man you giving out selfies or something?

Time to Waste

I’m gonna regret the hell out of this I already know; but sir I have to give it to your Momma you are quite the handsome lil chap.
———————–
:facepalm:
Don’t poke tha bear and chit :kona:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkcCHR-7FNA Man, I just don’t care™

@HAIR
“Lol @man you giving out selfies or something?”
_____________
Naw… just wanted to give the ladies a lil something to drool over going into the new year.

Time to Waste

Just in time to hand sothern her :trophy:
——————
:chase: :rofl:

Hair Lova Formerly Known As Dark Ceaser

The only resolution I have is to be a better me than last year. I ain’t got time to be saying “ima lose weight, ima turn up less (hate that term) ima be a new me. Like whatever, I’m try to be a better me. And try not to kill no folks along the way. That’s all I can offer the universe.

Missy why you wanna snatch your boss bald?

Vanna is the root of all evil

@Vanna
Stop procrastinating
Quit being sentimental over folks that are no good for me and cut them off

—-

thats what im doing to. im tired of always being everyone go to person and everyone feel sorry for me person. now i had started inching from soem ppl but i got a couple more

Sad this is what kids have to deal with. Obama send this boy a mentor.

Blanche Devereaux

Hair Lova Formerly Known As Dark Ceaser says:

The only resolution I have is to be a better me than last year. I ain’t got time to be saying “ima lose weight, ima turn up less (hate that term) ima be a new me. Like whatever, I’m try to be a better me. And try not to kill no folks along the way. That’s all I can offer the universe.
…………………

Agreed. Weight loss is my only tangible goal, thats not even a resolution though. I just wanna work on myself and have another year out of the psych ward.

like someone said upthread, i want to stop procrastinating (’cause, for me, i think it’s may be fear-based :think: so maybe that actually translates to facing my fears, or not continuing to avoid situations that may be uncomfortable :think: ) yeah, that’s it; i want to be like ‘David’ and take on and conquer the ‘Goliaths’ in my life! 😀
*catches the Holy Ghost from encouraging myself* :wail: :ghost:

i want to be like ‘David’ and take on and conquer the ‘Goliaths’ in my life! 😀

—–

:preach: I let my fears scare me and cause me a great amount of stress and anxeity. i need to stop

Hair Lova Formerly Known As Dark Ceaser

Agreed. Weight loss is my only tangible goal, thats not even a resolution though. I just wanna work on myself and have another year out of the psych ward.

by Blanche Devereaux on Dec 31, 2014 at 11:36 am
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Blanche and Nancy I think when we say work on self, that covers everything. So we good ladies!!!!! Cause the good lord knows I need to work on procrastination myself. Leaving things til the last minute. Such a horrible habit of mines.

TaylorMade

like someone said upthread, i want to stop procrastinating (’cause, for me, i think it’s may be fear-based :think: so maybe that actually translates to facing my fears, or not continuing to avoid situations that may be uncomfortable :think: ) yeah, that’s it; i want to be like ‘David’ and take on and conquer the ‘Goliaths’ in my life! 😀
*catches the Holy Ghost from encouraging myself* :wail: :ghost:

:cosign:

Nakeya_J or Keke thanks to Unshake

@Man who is that with the sharpie colored beard in your gravi!? I know that’s not you. Smh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkcCHR-7FNA Man, I just don’t care™

@NAKEYA

:rofl:

Naw.. not drawn on. I just added a lil something to fill it out. Just until it fully grows in. Goin be part of that beard gang for 2015.

Hoes be feeling that rugged yet refined look. :yes:

GellySammich

*runs in real fast and out of breath* :oldman: Nancy! Nancy! :hug: you still a twerker or you got a new email?

SOTHERNGRL

Just in time to hand sothern her
****************************
:facepalm: Lawd what have I done did now

Hair Lova Formerly Known As Dark Ceaser

@Man who is that with the sharpie colored beard in your gravi!? I know that’s not you. Smh

by Nakeya_J or Keke thanks to Unshake on Dec 31, 2014 at 11:49 am
________
Naw.. not drawn on. I just added a lil something to fill it out. Just until it fully grows in. Goin be part of that beard gang for 2015.

Hoes be feeling that rugged yet refined look. :yes:

by Man, I just don’t care™ on Dec 31, 2014 at 11:52 am
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Got damn I’m phone posting. Lml I don’t have my log on at work yet. I wish I could see. @Man wth did you use??? :rofl: beard in a can??? Like what did you use????? There’s stuff like that for beards???
:rofl:

Common Core will have all these inner city boys dropping out in 2 years. Sad. I just marathon watched to Wire, Season 4 was about schools- was floored when the teacher told the administrator that Passing is 3/4 years behind grade level and Advanced is 1 year behind or at grade level. I know it’s fiction, but it rings true when you send AP Honors student from inner city school to a University and they come back with with D’s.